Literacy
What is Literacy?
“Literacy is defined as: the set of skills which allows an individual to engage fully in society and in learning through different forms of language and a range of texts which society values and finds useful.”
– Curriculum for Excellence, Page 20.
The Literacy Experiences & Outcomes contained within Curriculum for Excellence promote the development of skills in using language. They reflect the need for children to communicate effectively during face-to-face interactions, in writing, and through an increasing range of media, recognising the importance of listening, talking, and collaboration in the development of thinking in learning.
Literacy thinking is a skill woven within the fabric of all conversations, interactions, and experiences. Literacy can be found everywhere in a child’s environment. It forms an important part of their everyday life and is fundamental to all other learning.
Notably, good practice surrounding literacy within Early Years promotes listening, talking, and the discussion of shared ideas, as well as reading and writing.
Why does Literacy matter?
Literacy skills are fundamental requirements for learning, they are essential for work, life, and communication. They enable people to engage effectively in society, to communicate, express feelings, and share ideas. Notably, low levels of literacy are associated with poor educational attainment, reduced employment prospects, poverty, health inequalities and lower social participation.
Understandably, given that literacy underpins all communication and interaction, it is important to provide rich, meaningful contexts and opportunities for children to develop a wide range of early literacy skills.
Additionally, Curriculum for Excellence states that whilst children need to be able to read for the purpose of understanding information, they also need to understand the extent to which they should place trust in that information and be able to recognise when attempts are being made to persuade or influence them (Curriculum for Excellence, Page 20.
How can I support Literacy development?
Practitioners should facilitate opportunities that encourage children to explain their thinking, debate their ideas, and read and write at a level that will help them to develop their language skills further.
Literacy experiences should build upon and grow children’s interests, vocabulary, and knowledge, encouraging children to see themselves as readers and writers. Literacy can be attached to everyday learning experiences and woven throughout all areas within a setting. Opportunities should expand to include:
- Real-life contexts.
- Quality interactions.
- Warm nurturing relationships that support communication.
- Higher-order thinking and questioning.
Children require spaces that promote interesting opportunities for literacy learning that include both open-ended resources and structured materials that can support and challenge their literacy development in meaningful ways.
Additionally, Family Learning is important when trying to achieve meaningful literacy development. HGIOELC places emphasis on Early Years settings to work in partnership with others in the community to support families to improve literacy and secure better outcomes for children. (HGIOELC, 2016: 32). Practitioners can ‘tap into’ a child’s interests via information from their family in order to support talking, listening, reading and writing within meaningful contexts, experiences, and environments.
